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Smoked Thanksgiving Turkey with Apple Cider Brine and Fresh Herbs

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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 10

Equipment

  • Smoker Any wood pellet smoker or charcoal smoker will work. If you’re using a pellet grill like a Traeger, even better—it’s perfect for consistent low-and-slow heat and ideal for a turkey on Traeger grill setups.
  • Large stockpot or brining bag You’ll need something big enough to submerge the turkey completely in the brine. A clean cooler can also be used in a pinch.
  • Meat injector (optional) This is great if you want to try turkey injection recipes to add more internal flavor.
  • Kitchen twine For trussing if not using the spatchcock method.
  • Instant-read thermometer Absolutely essential to check doneness.
  • Cutting board & carving knife For serving and presentation.

Ingredients
  

For the Apple Cider Brine

  • 1 gallon apple cider unfiltered, if possible
  • 1 gallon cold water
  • 1 cup kosher salt
  • 1 cup brown sugar light or dark
  • 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
  • 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes optional for mild heat
  • 5 whole cloves
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 4 sprigs fresh sage
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 head of garlic halved horizontally

For the Turkey

  • 1 whole turkey 12–14 pounds, fresh or fully thawed
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • Fresh rosemary thyme, and sage (for stuffing cavity)
  • 1 apple quartered
  • 1 onion quartered

Optional Injection (for added moisture and flavor):

  • 1/2 cup melted butter
  • 1/2 cup apple cider
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions
 

Brine the Turkey

  1. Start at least a day in advance. In a large pot, combine apple cider, water, salt, sugar, peppercorns, cloves, red pepper flakes, bay leaves, garlic, citrus zest, and fresh herbs. Bring to a simmer and stir until the sugar and salt dissolve. Let cool completely.
  2. Place the turkey in a large brining bag or stockpot. Pour the cooled brine over the turkey, ensuring it’s fully submerged. Refrigerate for 12–24 hours. If using a cooler, add ice and check temperature to stay below 40°F.

Prepare the Smoker

  1. On the day of cooking, remove the turkey from the brine and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Let it come to room temperature for about 45 minutes while you prep your smoker. Preheat the smoker to 250°F. If using a Traeger, applewood or cherrywood pellets pair beautifully with poultry, giving it that delicate sweet-smoky finish.

(Optional) Inject the Turkey

  1. If you’re aiming for the juiciest bird imaginable, mix the injection ingredients and use a meat injector to inject the mixture into the breasts, thighs, and drumsticks. This step is particularly helpful if you’re dealing with lean turkey breasts or want extra insurance against dryness.

Season the Bird

  1. Rub the entire turkey with softened butter. Mix the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder, then sprinkle evenly over the bird. Tuck fresh rosemary, sage, and thyme sprigs into the cavity along with the apple and onion quarters.

Smoke the Turkey

  1. Place the turkey breast side up directly on the smoker grates. For a more even cook and crispier skin, consider doing a spatchcock turkey smoked style—this involves removing the backbone so it lays flat and cooks more uniformly. Close the lid and smoke until the thickest part of the breast reads 165°F and the thigh reaches 175°F on your thermometer. This will take about 30 minutes per pound.

Rest and Carve

  1. Remove the turkey and tent it loosely with foil. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes to retain juices. Then carve, serve, and let the compliments roll in.